Affliction
by Wyvern's Elucidated Brethren
Summary: Following on from I'm Still Me... After the defeat of Voldemort, there's nothing for the gang to worry about other than their NEWTs. Isn't there?


Wyv: A massive thank you to everyone who loved I'm Still Me...   
Bel: We couldn't resist, we decided we had to carry on the story! The gang are on holiday before returning to Hogwarts for their final year, and something happens to Wade...   
  
Warning: Contains references to homosexual relationships. If you don't like it, don't read it. All flames used to roast marshmallows.  
  
Disclaimer: All things in the Harry Potter universe belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. We own Wade and the plot.  
  
***   
  
Wade jumped as someone tipped a bucket of ice-cold water over him. He opened his eyes to find Draco grinning at him.   
"Draco! I was asleep!" he moaned.   
"I know, you were getting burnt. Me and Harry are gonna get some ice-cream, you want one?"   
"Yeah, okay." Draco grabbed Harry's hand and the two ran off in the direction of the nearest ice-cream stall. Wade sighed and attempted to dry himself with his towel, which had been soaked in the assault.   
  
"This holiday was a great idea," sighed Ron happily. He had also just woken up and was blissfully unaware that Harry, Draco and Hermione had buried him up to the next in sand.   
"It was," agreed Wade, scanning the beach for Hermione and Ginny. They were currently chatting to a couple of boys who had accidentally kicked a football in their path. Ron's eyes narrowed.   
  
"Ron, will you just ask Hermione out?" asked Wade.   
"What? I didn't say anything..."   
"No, but you were about to. Look, we've had to put up with your moaning about her for the whole holiday, just do something about it!"   
"I suppose you're right," sighed Ron. "It's just... well... look at her, she's intelligent, she's beautiful, what would she want with me?"   
"Ron, she's crazy about you. Why do you think she hardly spoke to you when you had that thing with that Hufflepuff last year? She was jealous!"   
"How did you... never mind." Suddenly Ron grinned. "If someone had told me at the start of last year that by the summer I'd be sitting on a beach having this conversation with you and my best friend would be dating Draco Malfoy, I'd've had them certified."   
"Me too," grinned Wade. "Look, thanks for, you know, accepting me after what I did."   
"Hey, you fought against Voldemort and if I'm not mistaken you also deflected a couple of nasty hexes sent my way. Besides, you don't have anyone pressurising you to act for the best of He-who-was-a-pest anymore." Wade nodded and laid back down.   
  
"Um, Wade, I can't get up..." Wade glanced to his left to find Ron had finally discovered that he couldn't move and was struggling, trying to free himself.   
"Don't move for a moment, Ron, I need a picture of that!" called Ginny, running up the beach with Hermione. Ron glared as she took the picture.   
"Who have you been talking to?"   
"Oh, Jermain and Stuart. They've invited us out to a club tonight," replied Hermione casually, sitting down next to Ron and helping Wade to dig him out.   
"And you're going, Gin?"   
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"   
"You're too young!"   
"Oh, please, don't give me that! I know you and Harry sneaked out to the club in town several times last summer! Besides, we're all going, right?"   
  
"Right," agreed Draco, coming back and handing out ice creams. "Going where?"   
"To a club that two blokes the girls have just met invited them to," scowled Ron.   
"Don't look like that!" said Harry. "It'll be fun. Remember last summer?"   
"Well, yeah, but..."   
"It's settled. What time are we going?"   
"Doors open at nine," replied Hermione.   
"Well, it's six now. That just about gives us time to get ready. I call first shower!" announced Wade, jumping up and running towards the hostel.   
"Yeah, right, come on Harry, let's beat the bastard!" Harry and Draco set off after him. The others sighed and began gathering up the forgotten beach towels.   
  
*   
  
Draco, Harry, Ron and Wade sang along loudly to the music as they got ready to go to the club.   
"Do you think I should wear my PVC trousers?" called Draco from inside the wardrobe.   
"It'll be a bit hot, but they do look nice on you," Harry replied. Draco appeared wearing the trousers and a dark purple shirt. Harry grinned and kissed him. Ron and Wade rolled their eyes. Ron and Wade were both wearing dark blue jeans and checked shirts, Ron's blue and white and Wade's green and white. Harry had chosen beige combats and a green shirt.   
"Are we ready now?" asked Ron impatiently as Draco finished fiddling with his hair.   
"We are. Let's go and get the girls!"   
  
"Just a minute!" called Hermione, as Harry knocked on the door.   
"We'll be here for half an hour then," Harry muttered as he leaned against the door.   
"We heard that! Anyway, we won't be that long, I'm just finding a bag for Ginny."   
  
The door opened and the girls stepped out. Ron stared at Hermione, lost for words. Her hair was sleek and hung loosely about her face, she was wearing blue jeans covered in purple glitter and a purple, sparkly top. A low-cut purple sparkly top. A very low-cut sparkly top. Wade nudged him.   
"Ron, shut your mouth!" he hissed. He turned to Ginny, who was wearing white hipsters and a strappy white glittery top, and smiled. "You look nice, Gin."   
"Thanks!" she grinned at him and took hold of Hermione's arm, leading the older girl down the stairs.   
  
*  
  
They got into the club an hour later, despite their worries that they would get asked for ID. Draco, Wade and Ginny went straight to the bar, and the others sat on the seats around the edge of the dancefloor. Ron paused momentarily from staring at Hermione to glance towards Wade and Ginny, who were in deep conversation.   
"Do you think he's hitting on my sister?" he asked Harry.   
"Who cares? Now, Ron, if tonight isn't a perfect opportunity to ask Hermione out I don't know what is. Just go for it, man."   
"Er... ok. Maybe in a little while."   
  
*  
  
"Hermionniny... I think you're verrry beautiful!" slurred Ron, a couple of hours later.   
"Ron! You're drunk!" laughed Hermione, as Ron slung his arm around her shoulders, mainly in order to stop himself slipping up on the way back to the seats.   
"'M not that drunk!" protested Ron. "I jus' think you're gorgeous! I have done for aaaages!" He gestured wildly to illustrate his point and ended up hitting his sister over the head with his bottle.  
"Ouch! Ron!"   
"S'ry, Gin!"   
"Never mind. Have you seen Wade?"   
"He went up to dance with Draco, didn't he?" asked Harry.   
"Okay, I'll see if I can find him." Ginny strode off and Hermione and Ron sat down.   
  
"Hermy... will you... willyougooutwithme?"   
"Ron, I can't under...mmmf!" Hermione broke off as Ron's lips covered her own. She blinked in surprise then put her arms around Ron's neck and deepened the kiss.   
"At last!" sighed Harry. He glanced around the club. He saw Ginny and Draco at the bar, getting more drinks, and he saw Wade dancing on a podium, waving a couple of glowsticks around. Harry smiled and went up to dance too.   
  
*  
  
"Oww... my head!" moaned Ron, next morning, burying himself under the blankets. "I'm never drinking again!"   
"You shouldn't have been drinking anyway," scolded Draco from the next bed. "Anyway, I'd never have bought you that double vodka and coke if I'd known you were such a lightweight!"   
"Don't shout!" came the groan from under the pillows. Draco sighed and looked over at the still-sleeping Harry. He grinned and startled to settle back down again.   
  
Then it hit him, and he sat bolt upright. He glanced around the room again and shook Harry awake.   
"Wassamatter?" mumbled Harry, turning over.   
"Harry, Ron... where's Wade?"   
"He's probably in the girls' room, he looked like he was getting quite close to Ginny last night. Ron sat up, his hangover momentarily forgotten.   
"WHAT? He'd better not be! Not with my sister!"   
  
Ron jumped out of bed and ran out into the corridor. He hammered on the door. Ginny opened the door, looking very grumpy.   
"What do you want?" she demanded angrily.   
"Is Wade in there?"   
"What? No, he's not, why?"   
"I've got a very bad feeling about this..." murmured Draco, behind Ron.   
  
*  
  
Wade sat up and opened his eyes. He was in the mouth of a cave. He looked at his watch. It had stopped, but it must have been getting quite late because his hand, which had been lying out in the sunshine, had started to blister. He stood up, feeling very woozy. He couldn't remember anything about the night before. He blinked as he looked out of the mouth of the cave. It was set in the cliffs, not far from the hostel they were staying at. Cursing the bright sun and thanking whatever deity was listening that he had his sunglasses with him, he began the short walk back. 


End file.
